Bed



Sept. 18, 1934. J. H. BRADL-EY BED Filed Aug. 22, 1951 2 Sheets-$heet l mvcm'oz:

John HB dle Sept. 1-8, 1934.

J. H. BRADLEY 1,973,699

BED

I Filed Aug. 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOE! John H.Brad]rz0.

Patented Sept. 1 8, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE Application August 22,

1 Claim.

My invention relates to beds and comprises certain improvements in that type of bed, largely employed for hospital use, which is provided with a sectional mattress support which may be given various angular positions with respect to the normal horizontal position of the bed frame so that a person occupying such bed may be given back support by raising one section, and another form of support for the legs by imparting angu- 1 lar movement to another section so that the tedium of lying in one position, flat on the back for instance, may be relieved by so disposing the sections of the mattress support that, without effort upon the part of the occupant, the mattress support may be given the desired angular positions that will accommodate the body in a substantially sitting posture or position and/or various intermediate positions.

My present improvements relate to the means for raising and lowering the respective sections of the mattress support; each section being positively moved in both directions, and such operation being effected by an attendant through mechanism preferably carried at the foot of the bed.

A particular object of my invention is to provide a bed having a sectional mattress supporting frame with means for adjusting the respective sections independently of each other and positively in each direction so as to support an invalid in any desired position.

Another object of my invention is to provide simple and sturdy means for moving the sections of the mattress supporting frame, easily operated and readily accessible'to an attendant.

A further object of my invention is to provide a structure wherein the desired adjustments above referred to may be accomplished in a simple and efiicient manner; my improved invalid bed being especially neat in construction and design and readily and cheaply manufactured.

These and other features of my invention are more fully set forth hereinafter; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved bed structure, taken on the line I-I, Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mattress supporting frame shown independently of the head and foot sections and with the sections of such mattress supporting frame in their extreme upper an gular positions.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the mattress supporting frame, taken on the line IVIV,

1931, Serial No. 558,649

Fig. 1, showing the operating mechanism for raising and lowering the sections of such frame.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View on a slightly larger scale showing a detail of the operating mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a view of a further detail, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the leg supporting section with modified operating means; such view illustrating clearly the simplicity of design permitting modifications tending 6 to minimize manufacturing costs.

As shown in the drawings, the frame structure which, with the head and foot sections 1 and 2 make up the bed, may be of any usual construction and may comprise side rails 5, preferably of angle members; end connecting cross members 6, also of angle type, and intermediate cross members 6 and 6 of a similar character. The rails 5 may carry at their ends fittings 7 of any usual or standard type for connection with the head and foot sections 1 and 2, respectively.

The sections of the mattress supporting frame are operatively connected to and disposed above the-side rails 5, and comprise an adjustable head section 10 a fixed body section 11, and'a duplex ad us able and jointed leg section comprising the parts 12 and 12*. For the purpose of supporting these sections, each of the side rails 5 is provided with a pair of upwardly extending brackets, indicated at 13 and 14, Figs. 1 and 3. The side bars of the head sectionlO are pivotally connected at 10 to the brackets '13; the side bars of the fixed body section 11 are secured to said brackets by rivets or other fastening members indicated at 11 and the side bars of the portion 12 of the duplex jointed'legsection are pivotally connected at 12 to the bracket 14.

The portions 12 and 12 of the duplex leg section of the mattress supporting frame are pivota1- 1y connected at 12 and 12 respectively, to connecting members 15, which are of such vertical dimensions thatwhen they are in engagement with the side rails 5, the parts of said duplex jointed section 12,12 will lie in substantially the same plane as the fixed body section 11, as shown me in Fig. 1. p

The side bars of the head section adjacent to theirpivotal connection with the bracket 13 may be braced by a connecting bar 17, which may be tubular and of the general shape shown in Fig. 4; the ends of such bar being flattened as indicated and underlying the upper flanges of the side rails of such frame to which they may be secured by rivets or other fastenings 18. The shape of the cross bar 1'7 permits the usual sagging of the segmental racks 21.

the mattress without affecting the comfort of the person lying on the same. The portion 12 of the leg supporting section of the mattress supporting frame is also provided with a similar bracing and connecting bar 17 similar in all respects to that employed with the head section and connected to said portion 12 in a similar manner.

In addition to the end rails or cross bars fi of the main frame, it is also provided with cross bars 6 and 6* intermediate the ends, as .shownin. Fig. 1.

For the purpose of raising and lowering the head section of the mattress supporting frame, I. employ the following means. Pivotally connected' at 19 to brackets 20 which may be-welde'ditoithe side bars of the head sectionvare segmental racks. 21; the free ends of which are connectedbya cross bar 22, preferably depressed centrallysofthe' same, to accommodate any sagging of the mattress, as more fully shown in Figmll Supported in suitable bearingsformed in-brac-kets 23 de pending fromthe crossbar G ne-across shaft 24 carryingzpinions 25 meshing with theteeth' of In addition, the shaft" 24 carries aworm-wheel-26; which isactuatedby a-worm 27, carriedby a-shaft 28, journaled in the cross rail fi atthe foot of the bed and lorackets 230 and 230 carried by the cross rails 6 and 6 respectively, such shaftextending to the foot' por tion 2 of the bed structurewhere it is-provided with a handle 29 whereby it may be-turned; such movement of the shaft actuating-the shaft 2e through the mediumrof the worm gearing illustrated. In addition to thebrackets23; the shaft 24' is supported bybrackets 231: carriediby the cross-rail 6 and. disposed adjacent to= the wormwheel 26. By the use of this mechanism,-

the head section may be positivelyraised and lowered. In order that-the head section-ma-y oc-- cupy a substantially level position-when lowered; it is-providedwith legs or supports indicated at 10*, preferably rubber shod, whichrestupon the upper flanges of the angle-siderails--5when tliehead section is in the lowered position.

The portion 12 of the leg section of'the mattress supporting frame may be equipped with. positive operating means substantially identical with that employed for' lifting the'hea'd se'ction. This mechanismincludes a cro'ssshaft 24 journaled in-brackets 23 depending from the=cross bar 6 such shaft carrying pinions 25 "meshing with the teeth of segmental racks 2l pivotally connected at 19 to brackets 2f) which'may be welded to the side barsof the portion 12of the leg section of the mattress supporting frame, As with the racks connected to the headsection; the free ends of the racks 21 are connected by a cross bar 22 of the same character'as 22; centrally depressed to accommodate anysag of'the mattress'that may occur'when occupied by an invalid. As in the operating means forthe head section of the mattress supporting frame, the shaft 24 carries a worm wheel 26*, which is actuated by worm 27 carried by ashaft 28 journaled in the cross-bar 6 at the foot of the bed and'the bracket 230 carried by the cross-rail 6 such shaft extending to'the foot portion 201? the bed structure where it is provided with a handle 29 whereby it may be turned; such movement of the shaft 28 actuating the shaft 24 through'the medium of the worm gearing illustrated. In addi-- tion to the brackets 23 the shaft 24 is supported by brackets 231 carried by the cross-rail 6 and disposed adjacentto the worm wheel 26*; Bythe use of this mechanism the portion 12 of the leg section may be positively raised and lowered. The side bars of the portion 12 of the duplex leg section are pivotally connected at 12 to the members 15 to which the side bars of the portions 12 of such duplex leg section are also pivotally connected at 12 so that when the portion 12 is raised, the portion 12 follows. This latter portion is provided-with legs so carryingcaster rollers 30 which ride onthe upper flanges of the side rails 5.,whenthe duplex leg section is elevated, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. When this duplex leg section is in the lowered position, as indicated in Fig. 1, the legs and rollers support the portions 12 and 12 of the same in horizontal position in the same planezas thesections 10 and 11.

The portion 12 of. the duplex leg section of the mattress" supporting frame is provided with a cross brace 17 of the same character as that shown at 17, connected at 18 to the side bars of such' portion of the leg sectionandibeing centrally depressed to accommodate any: sagging; of the mattress: r

While I -.have:shown the segmental. racks.2l which: provide. the: supporting and: adjustingmo means: for 'the. legseotioniof the mattress: supporta ingframe as extending. toward thesegmental. racks zl for'adjustably:supporting thehead sec tion- 10 ,1 it is obvious: that i this relation; may be. alteredwithout"departingifrom my inventiomand l 105 in Fig. 'Z 'I have shown a modified: arrangement: wherein such racks, indicated;at-21 extend toe ward'the footsectionof theibed; Ihey3aret cone necte'd 1 at thersame point to the side: bars 7. of nthe; portions 121of the:leg=:andithey aare operated in;- a manner precisely similan to .the operation of the racks v 21 with the advantage. that. the. operatin shaft 28 need not be quite so longz.

Tdwprevent the .racks2l, 21 01121 moving away from the respective :pinions. 25; 25. or 251,Ltheiry operative: position 1 is related. to. the cross: bars 6% and GP'; asclearlyshowninFiguS; suchcrossbars being out away as.-indic'atediatial toaccommodate such racksz V It will be understood, of course, that the severalf zg sections of the mattressiisupporting framewillfbe provided. with :somei-f ormi of bed-bottoming, .usu-- ally airelativelyelastic. or; resilient support: of. woven .wire, wireslinkszorithelike, .which have springiconnectionsaviththe frame making up such. bed-bottoming being indicated in.-Figs.,l-and 4; such: bedebottoming being; indicated at 32-,v in

Fig. 4.. I

The handles- 29 and-29a are pivotally connected. to slotte d:blocks= 3 5 ahdr-iiocsecuredto said shafts at their ends :whichterminate at thefoot section ofthebed. The operative positionis indicatedby. full lines, Figs.- 1 and J7, andby dotted lines'Fig. 3, The fullline positionpf. the -handle;.'29., .shown in Fig, 3 represents the positionit may occupy,.out of the way, whenlnotinusev -A1l parts-of my improvedstructure which. are not: bolted orriveted together are weldedj. the. structural parts of a my improved. bedbeing par-- ticularly susceptible of permanent Ieng agement by awelding-operationi Inabedof the character:described;'the combinationwitha mainframe including side rails, a plurality of cross rails and head andfoot members, of" a' sectional mattress supportingframe oper atively supported by and disposed. above the main frame; said.mattress supporting"framejim cl'udi'ngjaj body section, supports 'carriedby the side rails o'f'themain frame'to' whichsaid'bodysection 5g carried by said cross shaft, a shaft extending longitudinally of the main frame and journaled in a plurality of said cross rails including the one at the foot of said main frame, and a crank arm at the foot end of the bed for imparting movement to said longitudinally arranged shaft whereby the pinions may be actuated to adjust the segmental racks and with them the body section of the mattress-supporting frame.

JOHN H. BRADLEY. 

